The following article by Jolie Lonner is from the March Bulletin.
At the Tu b’Shevat Seder we celebrated the birthday of the trees. This Seder is a ritual meal of fruit, celebrated on the full moon of Shevat. Blessings were said over the fruit from the vine, earth and trees. In order to say the appropriate blessing we thought about the plants that give us our fruit.
What if we extended this moment of connection with our food? Instead of simply asking what plant did this fruit grow on, we close our eyes and think of the land where it grew:
Did the land used to be a desert, or a forest or wetland?
What creatures lived there now and who used to?
Was there a tribal community?
Was the soil honored?
Are there worms abound in rich, deep, living soil, or are pesticides and chemical fertilizers applied with abandon?
Was the watershed respected?
Are the crops appropriate for the amount of rainfall?
When the water leaves the fields, does it carry chemicals into the streams and rivers?
How far did your food travel to get to your plate?
Did it come from a local farm or from tropics by way of trucks spewing greenhouse gas pollution? Who grew your food?
Who planted it and harvested it?
Were they treated fairly? How is your food packaged?
Will the wrappers go into a landfill?
Where is the landfill and what creatures used to live there?
Does your food feed your body and community?
Does your food poison water, land, and your spirit?
We are told that as Jews it is our duty to work to perfect ourselves, perfect our soul and serve society and, by doing this, we perfect the world. But how do we accomplish this?
Sometimes the greatest actions we can take are as close to us as the dinner table. While the world can sometimes be overwhelming and depressing, there are choices we make every day that can heal the world.
A first step towards change could be to take the time to truly connect to our food and the land from which it comes. During this time, try to envision the world that you want to live in and that feeds you and, from that loving place, take an action to perfect the world!
The Social Action Committee meets regularly to serve society and to do its part to perfect the world. All are welcome to join. Input, energy and suggestions are strongly encouraged.
By Jolie Lonner